The continual, effective operation of Grace and the inspiration
of the Holy Spirit in the Church is clearly shown in the holy councils
of the Church. In these Councils, the Holy Spirit, as the "Conscience of
the Church" guided and directed the holy fathers gathered in the truth
and faith of Jesus Christ, as the Lord Himself had promised. The consent
of the people themselves, both clergy and laity alike formed another link
as to what is the "Conscience of the Church" because of the interaction
of the Holy Spirit. The "Conscience of the Church" is a transcendent insight
of divine force; it evaluates the decisions of the Synods (General Councils)
and either places the seal to the formulation of disputed Truths or rejects
all of its proceedings. The Church of Christ holds the vision of the entire
Church - visible and invisible - which could foresee the errors of the
assembly of bishops. Usually the official rejection of a synod is pronounced
by another Synod that follows it, although this rejection is already consummated
in the hearts and minds of believers universally.

Up to today, there have been eight Ecumenical Synods.
The last one, at the time of Patriarch Photius, has not as yet been officially
ratified and formally recognized) because no other Ecumenical Synod has
since been held, because of the separation of the Undivided Church. However,
this eighth Synod is already recognized as such by the "Conscience of the
Church" - the consent of the people.

The absurdity of many Protestants (So-Called Fundamentalists,
Born Again Christians, etc.) (refer to: The
Fundamentalist Cult) today becomes clear when they arrogantly assert
that the Holy Spirit failed to guide the "ancient Church," but that it
now guides them in their contradictory and disharmonious beliefs (the Protestants).
(Also See: What It Means
to be a True Christian, and then explore the Creed
of Faith)

In the first centuries, those who followed Our Lord Jesus
Christ lived like brethren, comprising one Body: the Church, having one
Head: Jesus Christ. Thus, when quarrels or misunderstandings arose, they
resolved them by common agreement in a council of bishops and presbyters,
upon the inspiration of the Holy Spirit (Acts 15:28-29). These meetings
are called "Councils" (Acts 15:6-8).

During the time when the Holy Church was heavily persecuted
in the Roman Empire, the councils were only local or regional. From the
time of Constantine (Emperor), when the Church was freed from persecutions,
however, general councils of the whole Church began to be convened, at
which the bishops of the whole Christian world participated. Those general
councils which were ratified as being truly Orthodox are known as "Ecumenical
Councils". The word "Ecumenical" today has been appropriated by Protestants
in such ways that the public in general normally think of "Ecumenical"
as of Protestant origin when, in fact, it is not at all, but a misguided
promotional angle to suit their own needs for what is actually a false
church growth scheme. They are neither Canonical, nor even truly Christian;
although there are many within them that are, in their hearts, Christian,
following misguided contrived falsehoods.

THE ECUMENICAL COUNCILSUNIFIED CHURCH LAWS

Following the recognition of Christianity by Emperor Constantine,
differences of opinion developed regarding the exact and correct doctrines
which Christ had given to the church. Discord over these differences developed.
Ecumenical Councils preached nothing new. They preached that which our
Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ and His Apostles taught. They did not compose
dogmas, but only gave explanation to those expressed in the Holy Scripture
of Jesus Christ's Gospel message. Thus, for example, the Symbol of Faith
is drawn entirely from Scripture.

The main reason for convening Ecumenical Councils was
to define and correct heresies or disagreements in the faith.

A firm believer in systematic standardization, Emperor
Constantine called a meeting of the Bishops and Clergy for the purpose
of settling the differences in beliefs and doctrines. Known as the First
Ecumenical Council, this meeting was held in Nicea in 325 A.D. sometimes
referred to as 1st Nicea. It was attended by three hundred and
eighteen men of the clergy including every Eastern Bishop of importance
and four Western Bishops. Subsequently, six other Ecumenical councils were
convened.

At this First Ecumenical Council, the preeminence of Bishops
of the three main centers of the Roman Empire (Rome, Alexandria and Antioch)
was approved. As a mark of honor, the Bishop of Jerusalem was added. This
council also condemned the heresy of Arius who denied the Divinity of Christ.

This first council proclaimed the true teaching concerning
God the Father and God the Son, Jesus Christ. The council formulated canons
regulating the church and drew up the first seven articles of the Creed.

Atthe Second Ecumenical Council, held at Constantinople
in 381 A.D. (sometimes referred to as 1st Constantinople), the
last five articles of the Creed were composed. The completed creed of twelve
articles,
which is the symbol of our faith and which is still being
used, is called the Nicene Creed. The second council also rejected the
teachings of Macedonius, condemning these teachings as a heresy against
the Holy Spirit. Macedonius falsely taught that the Holy Spirit was created
by God similarly to angels, being a spirit of a higher degree or order
than the angels. At this council the words, "and in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord, the Giver of life," were included into the Symbol of
Faith. The 150 Bishops who attended also granted preeminence to the Bishop
of Constantinople. The reason for the preeminence granted to Rome, Alexandria,
Antioch, Jerusalem and Constantinople in the first two councils was due
to the fact that the cathedrals of the Bishops in those cities were established
by the Apostles themselves. Rome was looked upon as the former capital
of the world and Constantinople as the new seat of the empire.

In 431 A.D. the Third Ecumenical Council was held in Ephesus.
This council condemned the heresy of Nestorius who taught that our Lord
was only a man with the divinity abiding in Him like in a temple. Nestorius
called the Virgin Mary the Mother of Christ and not the Mother of God.
Nestorius refused to acknowledge Mary as "Theotokos" (bearer of God), but
would call her only "Christotokos". Two hundred Holy Fathers attended this
council.

The Fourth Ecumenical Council was held 451 A.D. in Chalcedon
with 630 Holy Fathers attending. This council's great work was its definition
of Jesus Christ as the Second Person in the Trinity as True God and True
Man with His divine and human natures distinct without confusion and inseparably
united in One Person. This council condemned the Eutychius party who taught
that Jesus was God only and that His divine nature absorbed the human one.
This council also decreed that the Patriarch of Constantinople was the
single head of the church in Eastern Europe

In 553A.D. the Fifth Ecumenical Council (sometimes
referred to as 2nd Constantinople) convened at Constantinople
with 160 church leaders attending. At this meeting the followers of Nestorius
were excommunicated and their writings condemned. Nestorius taught that
the Virgin Mary's title as Mother of God was erroneous. At this time, not
only Nestorius, but Eutychius, Arius, Origen and others were reaffirmed
as condemned for their errant teachings.

The Sixth Ecumenical Council, with 170 Holy Fathers attending,
also met in Constantinople, in the year 680 A.D. (sometimes called the
Council of Trullo). This council condemned the teachings of the Monotheists
who acknowledged only the divine will of Christ while denying the human
one. Also, this council dealt with moral questions, confirmed the canons
of the various councils and the 85 Apostolic Canons, decreed that bishops
shall not be married and that deacons and priests may not marry after their
ordination. This council adjourned and reconvened in 691 A.D. at the Trula
Palace. The council approved the canons of preceding councils.

The Seventh and last Ecumenical Council was convened by
Empress Irene and was held at the site of the first council, Nicaea. This
council took a stand against iconoclasm and defined the doctrine concerning
images and their veneration (not worship) and ordered the images restored
in churches; affirming and defined the veneration of holy ikons (icons).
The personnel at this council was composed almost entirely of Byzantine
representatives but Papal legates were also present. This council met in
787 (788 by some reckoning) A.D. with 367 attending. In the seven council
meetings, about 2000 representatives of the undivided Christian church
participated.

There was growing disagreement between Rome (Seat of the
Roman Jurisdiction of the undivided Catholic Church) and the other Patriarchates.
But the separation of
the Roman Jurisdiction of the Catholic Church did not take place until 1054 A.D. with the final
break due to a breach over Filioque dogma.

There were other local councils convened since
those times and which are
also canonical, such as the famous "Palamite Councils" of 1341 and 1351,
the Council of Jerusalem of 1583 and the Councils of Constantinople of
1583 and 1593, are examples.

Sectarians who claim to follow the Bible, while denying
Christ's Church and its councils, are blasphemers of Sacred Tradition as
originated in the Holy Bible (Scripture). These present day sectarians
(Most, but not all who are Protestants) are like people who steal another person's passport, not
considering that the validity of the passport rests upon the actual identity
of the person to whom it was given, and that behind the passport, there
is a birth certificate. Some Protestants who are not a part of the cultic
and heretical churches include, but not limited to those of the Anglican
Orthodox, some Lutherans, etc. One has to truly discern through study and
evaluating each of the Protestant groups in order to discern who is and who is
not truly "Christian" for those that are not true Christians include but are not
limited to those known as: Church of Christ, Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons (known
and called Church of Later Day Saints), Pentecostal, etc. We must admit
that with a sincerity of faith, their followers are not apprised of the reality
(both spiritual and material) to which they have been cut off from being a part
of that which was established by Jesus Christ and the Holy Apostles because
their ministers or pastors are either uneducated themselves, and those that are
have become more like the 'money changers' Jesus chased out of the temple.
Those they chased out are either after silver and gold or self-image as well as
many things never before accepted by the ancient church.

The right of the Apostles and their descendants, the Apostles
(or bishops) to order the Church, define its teachings and set the Divine
Services, is quite clearly shown in the Book of the Acts of the Apostles,
Chapter 15.

The authoritative body of the Orthodox Catholic Church from the
East to the West remains the Ecumenical Synods of the One Undivided Church
of the first thousand years, whose decisions have been preserved without
change throughout its life, from the beginning of the Christian Church.
The decisions of these Ecumenical Synods of the One Undivided Ecumenical
Church have not been altered, changed or added to by the Orthodox Church.

There is no official formulated system or any authorized
catechism of the Church which encompasses all the Truths.

Theologians and teachers have the freedom to study further
and explore the various aspects of these Truths, thus achieving a greater
perspective form which to express anew the Revealed Truths for the steadfastness
of the faithful. The importance here is that these findings of the theologians
and teachers are not new Truths, but one and the same Truths of Scripture
and Sacred Tradition interpreted with greater simplicity and clarity. The
gradual unfolding of a reveled is the result of devoted research and profound
clarity in faith and practice which should not be isolated from the entire
body of Revealed Truths.

In the Orthodox Church the "golden rule" OF INQUIRY
into the Truths of Scripture and Tradition consists of two principles for
research and life in which the theologian and scholar move. Not only do
they have the authority of the Fathers of the Church and especially from
the Ecumenical Synods of the Church; they have
the freedom to explore further the mysteries of the Revelation of God to
makes these Truths more clear. This freedom is a continuing
opportunity for the clergy and laity of the Orthodox Church. With these
rules in mind, the "authority with freedom" of the Church makes it the
true Church which bears the Ecumenical character. The Orthodox Church (be
it Russian Orthodox, Greek Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox, Serbian Orthodox,
Ukrainian Orthodox, or even American Orthodox) is in fact the Apostolic
and Ecumenical Church.

Thus, while there have been heated debates, and often
vilification, as regards the study and teaching of some of the so-called
"Lost Gospels" (i.e. - according to "Thomas,"
etc.); it is an exploration and attempt toward understanding of what exists
through archeological findings in comparison with the primary Gospels of
Jesus Christ according to Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Such study
or research is embodied in the "authority with freedom" of the church and
her members to do so without fear of vilification or disenfranchisement.

Thus, we cannot reject those who follow the primary Ecumenical
Councils in faith and practice as regards various decisions; and who come
from a different Christian practice and teaching that is rather similar
to, and incorporated in itself by divine action of the Holy Spirit through
the Apostle Thomas (St. Thomas - one of the first 12 Apostles of our Lord),
the Orthodox understandings as first coming from Jesus Christ and the Apostles.
They received the Truths as they were handed down to it by the Apostles
without altering their roots and meaning. Those St. Thomas Christian churches
who adhere to the Seven Ecumenical Councils are indeed a part of the Orthodox
Church, and American Orthodoxy.

It is the rule of "authority with
freedom" by which the fathers and preachers spoke and handed down
the same Truths, and also the formulated Truths by the infallible Synods
during the time when the Church was One.

The fundamental principle of "authority with freedom"
for the clergy and laity, the infallibility of the Church and of the General
Assembly of Bishops, have been replaced by the Roman Catholic Jurisdiction of
the West who make claim as being the only "Catholic" Church when, in fact,
it is a branch of that which is the CATHOLIC Church that gave it birth
from the times of the first Apostles of Jesus Christ. It is for this
reason that We, along with others, often refer to the "Vatican" or "Roman
Catholic" and such that is often and errantly defined and called
"Catholic" by the news media as well as many secular politicians as the "ROMAN
JURISDICTION OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH" for indeed, that is all that it is, even
though it has been and continues to be, heading toward a downward spiral into
Synchrestic Ecumenism, the One World Church and One World Government warned
about by Holy Writ in the Apocrypha (Book of Revelation).

Special Instructions
from apostle1.com to you the viewer: On many of the articles
and information that we post, there are links to other web sites and pages
regarding News, Information, etc. Be sure to click your "back" button in
order to return to this web site... so that you can completely read the many
other articles, news & information provided.

In addition, when you have reached the end of an
article, you will notice that there is much that can be viewed by clicking on an
article after our "Disclaimer Notice". We have taken the liberty to
provide other information such as helps in definitions and understandings that
are truly Orthodox Catholic (not of the Roman Jurisdiction of the Catholic
Church)... There is much, may be (according to some) too much! But there
is never such a thing as "too much" when attempting to learn and live the life
of a
true Christian.... For indeed if we are true Christians, we each and every one
needs information that will enlarge, or - at least, enhance our spiritual
understandings.

We must entrust our soul into the hands of God
the +Father, the +Son, and the +Holy Spirit who, as one God (the Holy Trinity)
is the source of all life and abundance for us who are still in this earthly
vessel. He knows our strengths (and our weaknesses) for he gave us
strength... It is our failings and sins that make us weak in spirit! If He
were to give us one dollar in conformity to our strength, we should not seek
five, so as not to grow faint under the weight of having too much, so that the
gift which is intended to serve to the good would not serve to the our great
condemnation. We must flee from our sinful falls not to reclusion, not to
the desert, but to self reproach, to confession of our sins - to repentance! Our
perplexity, our reasonings and our will - we must plunge them into the abyss of
the munificence and Providence of God!

(Apostle1.com's
Note, Commentary, opinion & Disclaimer Notice:
We Have many Contributors to our DAILY NEWS SERVICE, as well as many other
Updates & Information provided - We are thankful for our Desert Angels, Our
Flying Foxes, Our Flying Squirrels and our many other contributors... Even
though we don't always give the credit they deserve... We want you, the viewer
to know that they are a part of our life and living... They are, according to
their nature & degree of ability, truly Christian in Spirit and in Truth for
they have YOU, the viewer in mind as a part of their own concerns too, as we do
too!

However... there is
something else we wish to warn you about.

DISCLAIMER NOTICE:The views expressed
at this website regarding any article not directly connected to religious
content is the opinion or commentary of the author which we may
not necessarily believe in, accept or support, and some religious articles we
may not accept or support either.
We take no responsibility or liability for the content of any news item or
article presented as any information provided which you rely upon requires that
you, the reader/viewer, take action to verify its worthiness on your own.
We have deduced to a minor degree, that the information provided by the author
is such that warrants posting for you the viewer/reader only... and that any
statements or purported facts, including any news item, is for you to verify as
to its authenticity. We take no liability and no responsibility for its
accuracy whatsoever! You who are new visitors, may wish to read a very short
article below entitled "The
purpose for presenting our Daily News section"
Sadly to say, we
take no pleasure in stating that some of the items we post are not from what we
would call true "Christian" organizations. But we post it because it provides
another side of the proverbial story. The Church,
after all, is
supposed to be a temple
for sick souls (sinners) without distinction
between their worse sins or otherwise, but it seems to some organizations that
they say much about others, but fail and refuse to upbraid themselves and their
members for their own sins...)

"Never,
never, never let anyone tell you that, in order to be Orthodox, you must also be
eastern. The West was Orthodox for a thousand years, and her venerable liturgy
is far older than any of her heresies."

Daily News is very important to those who are true Orthodox Catholic Christians.
For without knowing or gaining information for understanding about what is
happening in one's local area and around the world, you could find
yourself faced with denied services in the secular area, lack of income, even
(although it sounds far-fetched) ability to worship openly for the time is not
far off when all will have to decide if they wish to follow the Anti-Christ
through the One World Church and One World Government as prophesied by the
Apocalypse, the Book of Revelation of St. John or follow the faith delivered
once and for all which will cause for many to be denied the abilities to survive
under those kind of conditions, causing for one to consider other options.

Many of those who subscribe to, and some who have caused or are the cause for,
these things to happen are involved in or with the Roman Jurisdiction of the
Catholic Church (which is not the seat of all things "Catholic") as well as its
protestant daughters such as the cultic Jehovah's Witnesses, the Pentecostal
Churches, the Church of Latter Day Saints also known as the Mormon Church and
far too many more to list.

Yet, at this web site we do provide some of the reasons about why they are
opined to be the harbingers of that which is prophesied in Holy Scripture for
the bringing about of the End Times which we have already entered. It is
not necessarily their individual members or parishioners that should be blamed
since they are only the "Sheep" and not the Shepherds... So do not think we
castigate individual people of themselves as we castigate those "money changers"
who Jesus Christ chased out of His Father's House as the Bible Describes; for
they exist in these present times too.

Events are already rushing toward
that time in which this is beginning to happen and will become more fully
wide-spread. In these present times all you need to really do is look around
both your local and larger areas as to what is really on-going through.
Things so very little or miniscule that they are barely noticeable except to the
more informed observer may become apparent.

Those
little things are the laws of the land, economics, politics, the degrading and
erosion of those rights and liberties afforded by the Constitution of these
United States of America and many other things such as the manner with which
entertainments have taken over much of the populace, entering into and becoming
a major focus in worship, and more.

We ask you,
if you don't want to believe us... Have you heard, seen or found what is termed
(of the many terms being used) that there are "holding areas" or "camps" or
"Closed/Fenced communities" being built by GOVERNMENT?

Here in
North America, especially in the United States of America, we must admit that
what Russia has come out of (a communistic, atheist country) we are entering
into. And one last thing that needs also to be understood... Something
very important to those of you who are "Catholic" in the Roman sense of its
jurisdiction.... And, we believe this also holds true for many who
are "Orthodox" whether "Eastern" or "Western"....

[
*Non-Denominational
=
Synchrestic
Ecumenism,
Disease
of
Scholasticism,
altering the Life and Teachings of
Jesus
Christ
to accommodate the disease of Political
Correctness
and
CULTIC
PROTESTANTISM,
and theRoman
Jurisdiction (Latin Church = Vatican) of the Catholic Church)
breaking of - or failure and refusal to respect and abide by - the ancient
Seven
Ecumenical
"Do
Not"
Canons
which leaves everything else open to God's gift of creativity... failure &
refusal to abide by and have respect for those who diligently protect one of the
other Pillars of the Church, the
Sealsofthe
Confessional,
but "Non-Denominational" also includes worshiping Satan's religion of
Muslim,
Islam by praying with them and other
heretics
such as 'Pentecostalism,'
'Jehovah's
Witnesses,'
'Mormons,'
'Church of Christ,'
any so-called church with "Community
Church"
in their nomenclature
and others who by their
false and misleading dogmas and doctrines
are actually against the Life and Teachings of Jesus Christ upon whom and for
exacting reason we are called "Christian" in both spirit and truth from which
non-denominational protestant sectarian claimants have departed from as being
so-called Christian]
Only a
skilled spiritual father can help you!

Remember: You
cannot ride two horses or serve two masters for one of them will be harmed by
your thoughts, your very words and your actions which is to blaspheme the Holy
Ghost (Spirit) who will depart from you. And when the Holy Spirit departs,
the great deceiver (unbeknownst to you) will rush in to fill the void under
disguise of being the Holy Spirit! Testing of the Holy Spirit to insure it
is the Holy Spirit does not, for many a Sectarian Protestant and Roman, work
because the Great Deceiver (Satan) is most skilled in worming and snaking his
charms around your mind and heart to feign being the Holy Spirit.
Remember, Satan has the same gifts similar to the Holy Spirit but Satan's gifts
are UN-HOLY and lead all who accept him (unbeknownst to you) to perdition.

[Click
on any one of the images below to be taken to spiritual and material
information and articles]

The
lives of monks consist of a podvig
[(spiritual
struggle) exploit]
of repentance and of withdrawal from the world. They flee from judging their
neighbor in his moral falls, considering themselves to be sinners and the
worst of all men.

But, when it is demanded of monks and other clergy, that they remain humble
and indifferent to questions of faith, then do they cast off humility and
obedience. It is demanded of them, by the conscience of the Church, the
faith in and for the Life and Teachings of Jesus Christ thatThey rise
up when the truth of Orthodoxy is threatened.They are supported
in this by a living conscience and by a sense of responsibility for that
faith for which our forebears-martyrs and confessors alike-sacrificed
everything, even their very lives. As a result we have opted to
present to you the story about
"Modern
Day Ecumenism and its horrors" along with
various links to who just a few of these Synchrestic Ecumenists are who
threaten the root and branch of Christianity as exists in true Orthodox
Catholic Christianity (Both Orthodox and Roman)!

American
Orthodox Catholic Christian Clergy and Faithful (East & West) need to understand
what has been happening about the U.S.A's
Constitution as
it relates to guarantees of Religious Freedoms being stripped away by some
states for what is happening applies even to those of religious bearing.

"Do
not be afraid! I know that you are seeking Jesus the crucified.
He is not here, for he has been raised just as he said."
Matthew 28:5-6

The following articles and information do not necessarily reflect the attitude
or beliefs of this jurisdiction or those who are with us in spirit and truth!

"I understand the idea of sodomy and homosexuality, but to say that
homosexuality is not a sin is incorrect and not just in my mind but all of
Orthodoxy and again, not just in Orthodoxy but all of Catholicism and again,
not simply all of Catholicism but all of Christianity with the exception of
those who have this in their personal life as sin or are very close to someone
who does. Celibacy or Married Life is the ultimate ideal. For both
Homosexuality and Heterosexuality are truly sinful if... and below is the hard
part of this understanding..." (Ed. Note:We
have never said "homosexuality is not a sin or okay... however, there are
those who, being homosexual, are that way for a variety of reasons.
Jesus Christ talked of these kinds as referring to Eunuchs. The
conversion tactics employed by many other groups, bespeaks of a "politics"
that is not wholly honest either spiritually or even materially. For, in
their endeavors they have failed to show forth the truth that one is driven
into a "closet" style of life.
It is better, we believe, to become wholly celibate, be it a homosexual or
even heterosexual... and to learn what "celibacy" really means and requires).

If a man looks on a woman who is not his wife with lust, he has sinned. If he
and she are married to other people he has committed adultery. If a man looks
at a man with lust he has sinned the same as a man who looks at a woman.
Sodomy does not have to enter into it, lust for someone is a sin by itself and must be
removed. But people do this all day long to be sure but it is still a sin. To
say that homosexuality and heterosexuality are not a sin due to their lusting, allows
both heterosexuals and homosexuals to live in sin without
repentance and this is wrong to do to them spiritually.

It is for the sake of their own soul that one has to recognize sin that is in
them and not to excuse it regardless of the sin or the preference of the
sinner. Sodomy is indeed a sin regardless of what any one may tell you, the act of
attraction or the lust is a sin even without action and simply must be
repented of by both heterosexuals and homosexuals. I must also add this; woe to all who misguide others into sin and
especially those who are of the clergy who do this. For the sake of your own
soul and others, you must recognize this and repent. I know that it is not
easy to overcome and if it is never overcome then one must live a life of
constant repentance, that is the only choice.